Published: Wednesday, June 27, 2007 at 6:49 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, June 27, 2007 at 9:45 a.m.

When Betty Lockwood remembers western-movie stars from her youth, those names come to mind, along with Tom Maynard and Tom Mix.

She also recalls Lash Larue, the Louisiana cowboy who dressed in black and always carried a bull whip, but he was not her favorite. That would have been Autrey, whose autographed photograph is still among her treasures.

Silver bells? Lockwood is another "old-timer" with a movie theater connection. Her uncle, James Chauvin, with Wallace Hepler and perhaps another partner, owned Houma’s Fox movie theater.

"We went, every Saturday and Sunday, and paid our nickel to see the movie," she says.

With a second nickel, Lockwood purchased a candy treat, "silver bells," the equivalent of Hershey’s kisses, at 10 for a penny.

Kiddie Club: And even cheaper movie entertainment was available at the Fox. Kids could join the "Kiddie Club" and every Tuesday, the club membership card and a nickel would pay the admission of the club member and a friend. It amounted to two-for-a-nickel admission.

Lockwood lived on the Park Avenue side of Bayou Terrebonne and remembers crossing the bayou on a narrow footbridge at about the location of the present-day Orleans Avenue bridge.

The footbridge route would have shortened the walk to the Fox. At the time there was no Orleans Avenue or Gabasse Street bridge, so without the footbridge, someone coming from Orleans Boulevard would have been forced to go up the bayou to Barrow Street and back down Main to the Fox.

A different time: In the ’40s, Houma was considered safe enough that children could go to the movies downtown by themselves.

"There was not so much traffic," Lockwood says, and presumably, fewer perceived threats from any element of the local population.

Silver Saddle? Lockwood recalls Livingston as being one of a cowboy-star trio who called themselves the "three Mesquiteers." In connection with their movies, she remembers a "big silver saddle" being on display in the lobby of the Fox.

Web site information suggests that the cowboys who formed the Mesquiteers varied over the years, but at one point the trio consisted of Livingston, Max Terhune and Ray "Crash" Corrigan. It is not clear whether this is the trio Lockwood remembers.

In those days, she recalls, Calvin Use and the late father of Tommy Cobb worked as projectionists at the Fox.

Other theaters: In addition to the Fox, movies were available at the Grand, the Bijou, and later, at the Park at the corner of Park and Williams avenues.

And on a Main Street lot, somewhere past Ane’s store at the corner of Main Street and Barataria Avenue, there was a tent theater. Lockwood never saw a movie there, but she remembers its existence.

Lash again: Nat Bonner tells me that she remembers seeing Larue at a live movie-house appearance, but not in Houma. Her encounter with the man in black was in Eunice and she has an autographed photo as a souvenir.

<p>Remember Bob Steele, Gene McCoy, Gene Autrey, Wild Bill Elliot, Roy Rogers, Bob Livingston?</p><p>When Betty Lockwood remembers western-movie stars from her youth, those names come to mind, along with Tom Maynard and Tom Mix.</p><p>She also recalls Lash Larue, the Louisiana cowboy who dressed in black and always carried a bull whip, but he was not her favorite. That would have been Autrey, whose autographed photograph is still among her treasures.</p><p>Silver bells? Lockwood is another "old-timer" with a movie theater connection. Her uncle, James Chauvin, with Wallace Hepler and perhaps another partner, owned Houma’s Fox movie theater.</p><p>"We went, every Saturday and Sunday, and paid our nickel to see the movie," she says.</p><p>With a second nickel, Lockwood purchased a candy treat, "silver bells," the equivalent of Hershey’s kisses, at 10 for a penny.</p><p>Kiddie Club: And even cheaper movie entertainment was available at the Fox. Kids could join the "Kiddie Club" and every Tuesday, the club membership card and a nickel would pay the admission of the club member and a friend. It amounted to two-for-a-nickel admission.</p><p>Lockwood lived on the Park Avenue side of Bayou Terrebonne and remembers crossing the bayou on a narrow footbridge at about the location of the present-day Orleans Avenue bridge.</p><p>The footbridge route would have shortened the walk to the Fox. At the time there was no Orleans Avenue or Gabasse Street bridge, so without the footbridge, someone coming from Orleans Boulevard would have been forced to go up the bayou to Barrow Street and back down Main to the Fox.</p><p>A different time: In the ’40s, Houma was considered safe enough that children could go to the movies downtown by themselves.</p><p>"There was not so much traffic," Lockwood says, and presumably, fewer perceived threats from any element of the local population.</p><p>Silver Saddle? Lockwood recalls Livingston as being one of a cowboy-star trio who called themselves the "three Mesquiteers." In connection with their movies, she remembers a "big silver saddle" being on display in the lobby of the Fox.</p><p>Web site information suggests that the cowboys who formed the Mesquiteers varied over the years, but at one point the trio consisted of Livingston, Max Terhune and Ray "Crash" Corrigan. It is not clear whether this is the trio Lockwood remembers.</p><p>In those days, she recalls, Calvin Use and the late father of Tommy Cobb worked as projectionists at the Fox.</p><p>Other theaters: In addition to the Fox, movies were available at the Grand, the Bijou, and later, at the Park at the corner of Park and Williams avenues.</p><p>And on a Main Street lot, somewhere past Ane’s store at the corner of Main Street and Barataria Avenue, there was a tent theater. Lockwood never saw a movie there, but she remembers its existence.</p><p>Lash again: Nat Bonner tells me that she remembers seeing Larue at a live movie-house appearance, but not in Houma. Her encounter with the man in black was in Eunice and she has an autographed photo as a souvenir.</p><p>Responding? Contact Bill Ellzey at 381-6256, 876-5638, ellzey@mobiletel.com or c/o The Courier, P.O. Box 2717, Houma, LA 70361.</p>